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Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday inaugurated the cultural evening "Udgam," organised on the occasion of Home Guards Foundation Day, at the Home Guards and Civil Defence Directorate, Dehradun, by lighting the lamp.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that the state government is trying to provide every kind of support to the Home Guards personnel. He said that the Home Guards personnel in the state are always ready to perform their duty towards society. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also congratulated the artists participating in the cultural evening. On this occasion, Commandant General Home Guard Kewal Khurana, Home Guards, officers of the police department and others were present. "The Home Guards is a voluntary force which works as an auxiliary to the police. Recruitment in home guards is broad-based comprising various sections of the civil society such as professionals, government servants, and workers etc. who can give their spare time for the betterment of the community," according to the Uttarakhand Home Guard and Civil Defence website. All citizens of India in the age group of 18-40 are eligible. The normal tenure of membership in Home Guards is 3 years. Civil defence organisation is also voluntary. The civil defence set up is present all over the country which is categorised by the Government of India, it added. Home guards and civil defence organisation is perceived as an activity during war. Since there has been no war during the last four decades, the organisation seems to have lost its relevance. Due to these factors, the role of organisation has changed drastically, it stated. "Now the volunteers are deployed regularly to maintain law and order, to control traffic, to manage crowds in different festivals and in conducting state and union elections. MHA has conveyed its approval to the state governments to utilize its volunteers for mitigation, prevention and preparedness for disaster and also for response and relief after the disaster has struck," as per the Uttarakhand Home Guard and Civil Defence website. Home guard volunteers play an important role in fairs like Kumbh, Kanwad and many other religious fairs taking place in the state. Also, the volunteers have a key role in various kinds of emergencies, it added. (ANI)
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